Considerations on the Role of Male Adults of Root-Knot Nematodes in the Reproduction

Abstract

The 2nd stage larvae (L₂) of Meloidogyne incognita and M. hapla, which had been subcultured by inoculating a single larva from a single egg mass, were inoculated at various levels (1-160 L₂s) on tomato seedlings growing in small glass tubes with and without fertilizers. The reproduction rates of both species were maximum in the inoculum levels ranging from 10 to 20 L₂s as well as the ratios of egg masses harbouring in roots. The number of eggs in an egg mass was slightly larger in the multiple L₂s than in a single L₂ inoculum. With increasing the inoculum level the brown egg masses and males increased in parallel, especially in the hosts receiving less nutrients. Since brown egg masses were also obtained from a single L₂ inoculation to the plants without fertilizers, males would not participate in the occurrence of brown egg masses which are more bearable to adverse conditions than white ones. Jap. J. Nematol. 6:35-38 (1976)